One of the first big moves of the NFL offseason has been announced, with DJ Moore being traded from the Chicago Bears to the Buffalo Bills. Let’s take a look at how the move affects the fantasy outlook of Moore and his former Bears’ teammates, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland.
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DJ Moore Trade Outlook
The Bears acquired DJ Moore ahead of the 2023 NFL season, sending the first overall pick to Carolina — which the Panthers used on Bryce Young — for Moore and some picks. That haul included what became the next year’s No. 1 pick, which the Bears used on Caleb Williams.
Chicago then paid up to extend Moore, hoping he’d be Williams’ top receiver for years to come. Moore had a strong season in his first year under his new contract, but it didn’t translate into team success. The Bears decided to reload their skill positions, drafting Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland in the early rounds of the 2025 draft — a year after selecting Rome Odunze in the first round.
The Bears’ rookies showed signs of greatness last season. Loveland emerged as a top-ten tight end and continued to progress throughout the season. Burden also stepped up his game by the end of the season. While Odunze was hampered by injuries, he’d flashed a high ceiling as well.
Chicago brass ultimately decided to build around its young pass-catchers while spending Moore’s money elsewhere — dealing him to the Bills, who desperately need a WR1 for Josh Allen.
This is great news for Moore fantasy owners. He was somewhat lost in the shuffle by the end of the season in Chicago. Odunze, Burden, and Loveland all played big roles in the offense. Despite playing all 17 games, Moore ended the season with just 50 receptions for 682 yards — both career lows. But Moore will immediately slot in as Allen’s top target in Buffalo, which has been missing a high-end receiver since Stefon Diggs left. Moore brings veteran experience and reliable production that Allen needs to make a Super Bowl run. In this new role, he should recapture the production he achieved every year before 2025.
Rome Odunze & Luther Burden III Outlook
In Chicago, Rome Odunze is likely to be the new WR1 if he can stay healthy. Odunze has all of the tools to be a great NFL receiver. In his rookie season, he had 54 catches for 734 yards as the WR2 behind DJ Moore. He was limited to just 12 games last season, but still managed to record 44 catches for 661 yards and six touchdowns. A breakout season seems likely if he can stay on the field.
Luther Burden III saw an expanded role towards the end of the season. He made the most of his chances with Odunze sidelined and became an integral part of Chicago’s offense down the stretch. Burden works out of the slot and adds a different element than Odunze across the middle of the field. If he can build on a strong rookie season, he could be one of the NFL’s top slot receivers in no time.
Colston Loveland also emerged as one of the league’s top tight ends down the stretch. Once the calendar flipped to November, only Trey McBride had more receiving yards for a tight end than Loveland. Not to mention, Loveland caught eight passes for 137 yards in Chicago’s wild-card matchup against the Packers. He’s another player in this Bears’ offense that could become elite with another step forward. Loveland is a top-five fantasy tight end heading into next season.
